For the First Time (1959 film)

For the First Time
For the First Time
Directed by	Rudolph Maté
Written by	Andrew Solt
Produced by	Paul Baron; ; ; ; ;
Starring	Mario Lanza; Johanna von Koczian; Zsa Zsa Gabor;
Cinematography	Aldo Tonti
Edited by	Gene Ruggiero
Music by	George Stoll
Production; companies	Corona Filmproduktion; Orion Films; Titanus;
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; Constantin Film;
Release date	26 August 1959
Running time	92 minutes
Countries	Italy; United States; West Germany;
Language	English
Budget	$500,000
Box office	$1,685,000

For the First Time is a 1959 musical film directed by Rudolph Mate and starring Mario Lanza, Johanna von Koczian Kurt Kasznar and Zsa Zsa Gabor. It was tenor star Mario Lanza's final film, released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer six weeks before his death. The film tells the sentimental story of an operatic tenor (Tony Costa) who finds love for the first time with a young German woman (played by Johanna von Koczian), who happens to be deaf.

It was shot at the Spandau Studios in Berlin and on location in 1958 in Capri, Salzburg, Berlin and at the Rome Opera House. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Hans Jürgen Kiebach, Fritz Maurischat and Heinrich Weidemann.

Reception[]

Critics singled out Lanza's singing of "Vesti la Giubba" from Pagliacci and the Death Scene from Otello for special praise, with Howard Thompson of The New York Times calling it the tenor's "most disarming vehicle in years."^{[citation needed]}

Cast[]

Mario Lanza as Tonio Costa
Johanna von Koczian as Christa
Kurt Kasznar as Tabory
Zsa Zsa Gabor as Gloria De Vadnuz
Hans Söhnker as Prof. Bruckner
Annie Rosar as Mathilde Faktotum
as Alessandro
Walter Rilla as Dr. Bessart
Renzo Cesana as Angelo
Peter Capell as Leopold Hübner

Box office[]

According to MGM records the film earned $710,000 in the US and Canada and $975,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $1,685,000.^[1]

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.

Cesari, Armando. Mario Lanza: An American Tragedy (Fort Worth: Baskerville, 2004).

External links[]

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[Mannix-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.

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